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How to start a business in Indiana

The fees, filing links and deadlines for forming and registering a business in Indiana, with the official page for each step.

Last verified October 24, 2026 General information, not legal, tax or insurance advice. Each fee shows the date we checked it on the official page. Fees change, so confirm on the official page before you pay.

LLC filing fee: $95
LLC, first year (state fees): Varies; see the notes below
Corporation filing fee: $95
Annual report: $31
DBA filed with: State (llcs, corporations and other filing entities, with the secretary of state); county recorder (sole proprietors and general partnerships)
General state license: No
Newspaper notice: No

How much does it cost to form an LLC or corporation in Indiana?

To form an LLC, file Articles of Organization (State Form 49459) with the Indiana Secretary of State, Business Services Division for $95 (checked Oct 24, 2026) At least $95 online: $75 statutory electronic fee (IC 23-0.5-9-19) plus the $20 INBiz Enhanced Access fee, which the Secretary of State's 2025 rule notice calls an existing fee. The Secretary of State's own regulatory analysis lists Indiana's LLC registration cost as $96, so checkout may be $1 higher. No INBiz fee page or checkout total was found. Paper filing is $100.. You can file online. A corporation files Articles of Incorporation (State Form 4159) for $95 (checked Oct 24, 2026) At least $95 online: $75 statutory electronic fee (IC 23-0.5-9-1) plus the $20 INBiz Enhanced Access fee. No official page states the online checkout total. Paper filing is $100.. That filing fee is not the whole bill: see what it costs in the first year.

What does an LLC really cost in its first year in Indiana?

Filing fees are only part of the cost. Here is every state fee and minimum tax we found that a new LLC must pay to form and stay in good standing for its first year. Example: Single-member LLC filed online at standard speed, operating from day one with no employees; licenses every business must hold are counted, sales tax permits are listed separately.

State fee	Cost	When	Checked
Articles of Organization (online, including the INBiz Enhanced Access fee)	$95 $75 statutory fee plus $20 Enhanced Access fee; the Secretary of State's regulatory analysis lists $96, so checkout may be $1 higher.	at filing	Oct 24, 2026

First-year total: some fees are set locally or shown only at checkout At least $95: the online Articles of Organization ($75 statutory fee plus the $20 INBiz Enhanced Access fee), and possibly $96 because a Secretary of State analysis lists $96. Indiana has no general state business license and no initial report, and the first business entity report falls due in year two. Excludes the retail merchant certificate, assumed names, city and county licenses, registered agent services and optional name reservation.

After the first year: The business entity report is due every two years in the formation anniversary month, starting two years after formation: $31 online (INBiz shows $32) or $50 by mail. No annual state fee in between.

Fees that apply only in some cases

State fee	Cost	When	Checked
Registered Retail Merchant Certificate (per location) If you sell goods at retail in Indiana (one-time fee per location)	$25	before making retail sales	Oct 24, 2026
Certificate of Assumed Business Name (per name, online) If the LLC does business under a name other than its legal name ($30 per name on paper)	$20 Online amount from statute; no INBiz page states the checkout total.	before using the name	Oct 24, 2026
Name reservation (optional, 120 days) Only if you want to hold a name before filing	$10	before filing	Oct 24, 2026

Not included: city or county licenses, a registered agent service if you hire one, and optional extras such as expedited filing. Fees can change after the date shown; confirm on the official page before you pay.

Do I need to register a DBA in Indiana?

If you do business under a name that isn’t your legal name, register it as an assumed name (DBA) with the state (LLCs, corporations and other filing entities, with the Secretary of State); county recorder (sole proprietors and general partnerships) for $20 (checked Oct 24, 2026) The $20 per name online fee is from statute (IC 23-0.5-9-40); the Enhanced Access list shows no added fee for this filing, but no INBiz page states the checkout total. Paper is $30 per name. County recorders charge their own recording fee for sole proprietors (for example $25 in Monroe County). No term or renewal is stated in statute or on the form..

How to file a DBA

Does Indiana require an annual report?

Yes. The fee is $31 (checked Oct 24, 2026) The Secretary of State's business entity reports page gives $31 online ($50 by mail), which matches the $20 statutory fee plus the $11 Enhanced Access fee, but the INBiz filing page says $32. We show $31.. Business entity report every two years, due in the anniversary month of formation; it is past due once that month ends. The first report is due two years after formation. Reports may be filed up to 90 days before the due month.

Initial report: No. (checked Oct 24, 2026) No initial report; the first business entity report is due two years after formation.

How do I register for state taxes in Indiana?

Register with the state revenue agency for sales tax and withholding, and open an unemployment insurance account once you hire your first employee.

Does Indiana require a general business license?

No. Indiana doesn’t issue one general business license; what you need depends on your activity and where you operate.

Indiana has no single general business license; the Indiana Professional Licensing Agency licenses regulated professions, and other state permits depend on the activity. Retailers need a Registered Retail Merchant Certificate from the Department of Revenue: a one-time $25 registration fee per location, applied for through INBiz, and it renews automatically while the business stays current on returns and payments. Cities and counties handle zoning, signs, some contractor licensing and other local licenses. No statewide local lookup found.

What local licenses will I need in Indiana?

Cities and counties set their own licenses, zoning and permits. Call your city or county clerk with your business type and address before you open.

Indianapolis (city)
The Department of Business and Neighborhood Services issues licenses for specific business types; check whether yours is one.

When do I need workers’ comp in Indiana?

1 or more employees.

Employers must insure with an authorized carrier or qualify to self-insure (IC 22-3-5-1). Casual laborers, farm or agricultural workers and household employees are exempt (IC 22-3-2-9). Independent contractors, especially in construction, can file for a certificate of exemption through the Department of Revenue ($20 total: $15 to the Board and $5 to the Department), effective at midnight seven business days after the Board's file stamp. Anyone hiring such a contractor should keep a copy of the certificate.

What else should I know about starting a business in Indiana?

Online LLC and corporation filings cost at least $95 ($75 statutory fee plus a $20 INBiz Enhanced Access fee); paper filings cost $100. LLCs and corporations file the same biennial business entity report ($32 online, $50 on paper); since January 1, 2026, health care entities must also report ownership on it. LLCs and corporations register assumed names with the Secretary of State ($20 per name online under statute, $30 on paper), while sole proprietors and general partnerships record theirs with the county recorder (fee set by the county). Since January 1, 2026, businesses that operate only remotely can keep a residential address off the public record. Indiana law makes filing the articles with the Secretary of State the public notice of formation; no newspaper publication is required. The Secretary of State warns that some companies charge high fees for filings you can do yourself on INBiz. Name reservation is optional ($10 online, 120 days).

What to double-check for Indiana?

A few details below aren't spelled out on the state's own pages. Confirm them on the official page before you file.

Note The online LLC and corporation filing fee is at least $95: a $75 fee set by law plus a $20 INBiz Enhanced Access fee. A Secretary of State rule analysis lists Indiana's LLC cost as $96, so the INBiz checkout may be $1 higher. No INBiz fee page states the total. https://www.in.gov/sos/business/files/Regulatory-Analysis-Business-Entity-LSA-25-155-OMB-2024-73R.pdf
Note The Secretary of State's business entity reports page gives the report fee as $31 online ($50 by mail), but the INBiz filing page says $32. We show $31, which matches the fees set by law. https://www.in.gov/sos/business/business-entity-reports
Note The rule that puts INBiz Enhanced Access fees in writing (LSA #25-155, 75 IAC 8) was proposed in 2025; the Secretary of State's docket does not show it as adopted. The Secretary of State says these are existing fees either way. https://www.in.gov/sos/business/rulemaking-docket/
Note Department of Revenue guides describe only income-based taxes, with LLC income passed through to owners.
Note The state business guide says corporations file assumed names with both the county recorder and the Secretary of State, but current law (IC 23-0.5-3-4) requires LLCs and corporations to file only with the Secretary of State. Check with your county recorder if unsure. https://www.in.gov/core/business_guide.html
Note https://www.indy.gov/activity/business-licenses

What to do next

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Sources

Official pages checked on October 24, 2026.